DC vs MI, IPL 2025: Delhi Capitals ‘run out’ by Mumbai Indians after Karun Nair blitzkrieg in Kotla carnage

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Call it the theatre of absurd or having walked into a wrong movie hall at a Cineplex to see a cast gone wrong, what Delhi Capitals produced as a flop show against Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 will rankle for long.

Sunday night at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi turned from delirium to despair ad agony to ecstasy as two 'Impact Players' did their job. In the end, despite the fireworks produced by Karun Nair, a seasoned pro in the richest vein of form after a blistering domestic run this season, his 89 runs off 40 balls was not enough.

For Delhi, this turned out to be a suicide missions of sorts. After the dismissal of Nair, the famed middle order and tail collapsed like cookies slipping from butter finger hands.

Who did this, driving in the stiletto, making Delhi Capitals and their fans bleed, resulting in tears? From sheer joy to drama and trauma for Delhi, one old good man did the job for Mumbai Indians as an Impact Player.

Enter seasoned pro Karn Sharma, the 37-year-old wily leg spinner showed the cunning of a fox to wreck Delhi. Add to it three run-outs in the 19th over - Ashutosh Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohit Sharma - DC were doomed, losing by 12 runs. Imagine, after winning four matches away from the Capital, what they handed to ardent fans was pathetic and mindless cricket.

First the positive, rather the effulgence from an old man who has churned many seasons with his batting exploits in domestic cricket, across formats. Karun Nair has been simply superb and for Delhi Capitals to 'include' him was sensible.

His batting was a mix of tradition and temper, where he used his wristwork, a cool mindset and stage presence to hammer the hell out the Mumbai Indian bowlers. When he unleashed that six of BOOM, aka Jasprit Bumrah, fans loved it. Of course, there was a mild flutter in the middle at the pitch, as Bumrah was unhappy.

No fast bowler in the world likes to get pasted, and for Karun Nair to do it was devilry. The pitch may have been placid, but the way Karun controlled his head, body and brought into motion his upper frame to smash that six was a delight to watch. He had ruined Bumrah's early bowling spell, though he eventually finished with 1 for 44 in four overs amidst the debris.

For sure, after Karun departed, it seemed the curfew bells had tolled for Delhi Capitals. No, there was no law and order problem in New Delhi or Old Delhi, necessitating a night curfew.

It was Delhi Capitals' own doing, rather undoing, as they spluttered like an old car which runs on a carburettor engine. How does one explain the plethora of batting talent which DC have and yet make a hash of such a (mis)match.

Ask KL Rahul how he messed up, ask Axar Patel, an all-rounder how he was shorn of guile. Rahul had shown far too much emotion when he scored big runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium recently.

The drama he enacted after that was an overdose, maybe something he has learnt now from being married in a Bollywood family. There was no need for all that, Rahul should have celebrated for sure in Bengaluru but not wasted emotions and energy.

Sometimes, far too many emotions in sport can ruin you. Rahul was a victim of it. If he had to prove, it was in Delhi against arch rivals Mumbai Indians. Fine, Delhi versus Bombay rivalry in Ranji Trophy cricket is from the past, where even 700 runs did not suffice as a first innings lead of one run could decide the winner on Day 6 of a Ranji match.

Against Karn Sharma, whose calm and cool head plus how the run-outs happened, Delhi Capitals showed victory can turn into defeat in no time. It was not 'bad luck' which saw Delhi lose.

It was bad cricket, where the Mumbai Indians showed great stage presence to fight back. An example of it was the ball change after the 11th over in the second innings. The desired effect could be seen even as Karn Sharma and company showed what it is like to handle pressure.

For those who have seen Karn before, his experience is massive. He has played so much cricket, from his formative days in Uttar Pradesh to various IPL franchises. He had even played for Delhi Capitals before. On Sunday night, the same Karn Sharma bamboozled Delhi Capitals, where his 4-0-36-3 spell was destructive.

A bit on the history of the Arun Jaitley Stadium, situated near the historic ramparts of the Ferozeshah Kotla. The ramparts are run down, but if there was an attempt to resembled something which is old and dilapidated, the cricket produced by Delhi Capitals was yuck.

Maybe, they should watch how Virat Kohli batted for RCB in the Sunday afternoon match in the company of Phil Salt. Kohli showed he can stay at the crease, bat deep, and do it for the team. That defined his 62 runs off 45 balls, where the focus was on playing for the team.

Last question for fans, where has Kevin Pietersen, the Delhi Capitals disappeared on a holiday? He has missed two matches. Or is there more to it than meets the eye.